Breast Health

Yearly Mammograms Urged for Younger Women

The argument for yearly mammograms for forty-something women is now a bit stronger.

The American Cancer Society recommends annual mammograms for women 40 and older, but the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggests that screenings begin at age 50 and be given every other year.

In Britain, the National Health Service offers mammograms to women between ages 50 and 70 every three years.

Records reviewed

British researchers studied the records of 156 women between ages 40 and 50 who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and treated. Of these women, 114 had never had a mammogram and 42 had had at least one mammogram within the last two years, including 16 who had had a mammogram within one year.

About 19 percent of the women who'd been screened within one year had a mastectomy, the study found, compared with 46 percent of those who had not had a mammogram the previous year.

Because annual mammograms allowed tumors to be discovered earlier, breast-sparing surgery was possible for most of the women, says Nicholas M. Perry, M.D., director of the London Breast Institute and the study's lead author.

Critical issue for women

“Breast cancer in young women is a very big issue,” Dr. Perry says. Among all women diagnosed with breast cancer at the London institute during the study period, from 2003 to 2009, 40 percent were younger than 50.

By finding tumors earlier, he says, it’s possible to lower the number of mastectomies by 30 percent. “In the U.S., that's over 10,000 mastectomies saved in a year.”

Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., at the Mayo Clinic, says she had never come across a study like Dr. Perry's, one that examined the surgical outcomes after mammograms given at various ages.

"I think this is the kind of research we need to support," Dr. Pruthi says. "These kinds of research questions need to be posed that show the many facets of where mammography screening is helping us."

Benefits of early detection

Both Drs. Perry and Pruthi note that women seek mammograms not only to potentially save their life, but also to avoid a mastectomy or other radical cancer treatments by finding cancer at an earlier stage. Smaller tumors can often be treated with a lumpectomy, which removes the cancer but spares the rest of the breast.

"We tend to underestimate that young women do get breast cancer," Dr. Pruthi says. "As a result of [earlier mammograms], these women received more surgical options. . . and were able to save the breast. I think that's an important point to get out there."

Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.

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If you've had a mammogram before but at a different facility, arrange in advance to have the most recent X-ray sent to your current facility. Your health care provider will want to check for changes since your last screening.

During the mammogram, a technician will help position your breast on a platform. He or she will take two X-rays for each breast, each from a different angle. The machine will compress your breast to get a clear picture of as much tissue as possible, including the armpit. This process lasts just a few seconds. Having your breast flattened may be uncomfortable, but it shouldn't hurt. The machine can be adjusted, so tell the technician if you experience any pain.

Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.